Linking disturbance and resources to the invasion resistance and diversity of microbial communities

Successful colonisations by invasive organisms are causing catastrophic changes to communities: altering their dynamics, reducing biodiversity and impeding ecosystem services. These ecological costs are only surpassed by habitat loss, and when combined with the huge associated economic costs, makes understanding how these events occur of growing importance. This study will focus on how disturbances, which change the availability of resources and habitat, may facilitate the establishment of novel species. First, we factorially separate resource influxes and habitat opening to test the mechanism by which disturbance increases invader success; using diversified populations of Pseudomonas fluorescens. We homogenised communities to open habitat and added nutrients to increase resources. Resource influxes were key in successful establishment, habitat opening had little affect and no interaction was found. Secondly, we expanded upon this by testing if resource abundance interacts with disturbance frequency; hypothesising when more resources are available disturbance-induced influxes, and thus invader success, would be greater. To do this communities of P. fluorescens were disturbed at different frequencies in three resource concentrations and invaded multiple times. We found disturbance and resources to interact: manipulating the mortality-growth rate balance, and thus success, of the invader. Resources also interacted with evolved biodiversity to effect invasion resistance. We finish by testing disturbance and resource effects on a stably coexisting 5-species bacterial community, using a 5x5 factorial design. Disturbance and resource both manipulated the variation in fitness between species: impacting biodiversity. Interactions were only found at high-disturbance-high-resources. This highlights the suitability of this system for future disturbance-resource studies on stably coexisting systems, including future invasion work. In conclusion, we show disturbance, through adding resources, to be a key factor in invasion success: the extent to which being strongly affected by resource abundance. We also find disturbance and resource changes are likely to impact the stability of communities

Observations of MMOD Impact Damage to the ISS

This paper describes meteoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) damage observations on the International Space Station (ISS). Several hundred MMOD damage sites on ISS have been documented using imagery taken from ISS windows. MMOD damage sites visible from ISS windows are typically larger approximately 5mm diameter and greater due to the larger viewer-to-surface distance. Closer inspection of these surfaces by astronauts during spacewalks reveals many smaller features that are typically less distinct. Characterization of these features as MMOD or non- MMOD is difficult, but can be partially accomplished by matching physical characteristics of the damage against typical MMOD impact damage observed on ground-based impact tests. Numerous pieces of space-exposed ISS hardware were returned during space shuttle missions. Subsequent ground inspection of this hardware has also contributed to the database of ISS MMOD impact damage. A handful of orbital replacement units (ORUs) from the ISS active thermal control and electrical power subsystems were swapped out and returned during the Space Shuttle program. In addition, a reusable logistics module was deployed on ISS for a total 59.4 days on 11 shuttle missions between 2001 and 2011 and then brought back in the shuttle payload bay. All of this returned hardware was subjected to detailed post-flight inspections for MMOD damage, and a database with over 1,400 impact records has been collected. A description of the largest observed damage features is provided in the paper. In addition, a discussion of significant MMOD impact sites with operational or design aspects is presented. MMOD impact damage to the following ISS modules/subsystems is described: (1) Solar Arrays, (2) US and Russian windows, (3) Extravehicular Activity (EVA) handrails, (4) Radiators, and (5) Russian Functional Cargo Block (FGB) module

An Environmental Audit Management Plan for the Royal Australian Air Force

The purpose of this research was to develop an Environmental Audit Management Plan (EAMP) tailored to meet the specific requirements of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The research also examined the resources which would be required to introduce the proposed EAMP into the RAAF. The literature on environmental compliance auditing identifies a number of essential characteristics required for an effective environmental auditing program. These characteristics, in conjunction with the USEPA design guidelines for the development of audit programs for government agencies, were used to guide the development of the RAAF EAMP. Information on Australian environmental legislation, DOD/RAAF policies and regulations, and details of the RAAF Base Tindal Environmental Management Plan were placed within this framework to produce the EAMP. The USAF Environmental Compliance Assessment and Management Program (ECAMP) was also used as a practical example of an existing audit management plan to provide further guidance in the preparation of the RAAF EAMP. To determine what would be required to implement the proposed EAMP, data on the implementation and operation of ECAMP was collected and analysed. From this, estimates of the resources required for the EAMP were prepared

Comparison of Risk from Orbital Debris and Meteoroid Environment Models on the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU)

A well-known hazard associated with exposure to the space environment is the risk of failure from an impact from a meteoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) particle. An extravehicular mobility unit (EMU) spacesuit impact during a US extravehicular activity (EVA) is of great concern as a large leak could prevent an astronaut from safely reaching the airlock in time resulting in a loss of life. A risk assessment is provided to the EVA office at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) by the Hypervelocity Impact Technology (HVIT) group prior to certification of readiness for each US EVA. Need to understand the effect of updated meteoroid and orbital debris environment models to EMU risk

Development of single-cell protectors for sealed silver-zinc cells

Three design approaches to cell-level protection were developed, fabricated, and tested. These systems are referred to as the single-cell protector (SCP), multiplexed-cell protector(MCP). To evaluate the systems 18-cell battery packs without cell level control were subjected to cycle life test. A total of five batteries were subjected to simulate synchronous orbit cycling at 40% depth of discharge at 22C. Batteries without cell-level protection failed between 345 and 255 cycles. Cell failure in the cell level protected batteries occurred between 412 and 540. It was determined that the cell-level monitoring and protection is necessary to attain the long cycle life of a AgZn battery. The best method of providing control and protection of the AgZn cells depends on the specific application and capability of the user

Development of single cell protectors for sealed silver-zinc cells, phase 1

A single cell protector (SCP) assembly capable of protecting a single silver-zinc (Ag Zn) battery cell was designed, fabricated, and tested. The SCP provides cell-level protection against overcharge and overdischarge by a bypass circuit. The bypass circuit consists of a magnetic-latching relay that is controlled by the high and low-voltage limit comparators. Although designed specifically for secondary Ag-Zn cells, the SCP is flexible enough to be adapted to other rechargeable cells. Eighteen SCPs were used in life testing of an 18-cell battery. The cells were sealed Ag-Zn system with inorganic separators. For comparison, another 18-cell battery was subjected to identical life test conditions, but with battery-level protection rather than cell-level. An alternative approach to the SCP design in the form of a microprocessor-based system was conceptually designed. The comparison of SCP and microprocessor approaches is also presented and a preferred approach for Ag-Zn battery protection is discussed

High single-mode power conversion efficiency vertical-cavity top-surface-emitting lasers

Includes bibliographical references.We report advances in the power conversion (wall-plug) efficiency of vertical-cavity top-surface-emitting lasers. The devices were fabricated from molecular beam epitaxial layers using deep proton implants to define gain-guided lasers. The epitaxial structure included low resistance, piecewise linearly graded n-type and p-type mirrors, a triple In0.2Ga0.8As quantum-well active region, and a delta-doped contact layer. Power conversion efficiencies as high as 12.7% for continuous-wave single-mode operation were measured after several hours of device operation.This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract DE-AC04-76DP00789

Uniparabolic mirror grading for vertical cavity surface emitting lasers

Includes bibliographical references (page 607).We report details of mirror grading profiles for high efficiency vertical cavity surface emitting lasers. The mirrors provide low vertical resistance in conjunction with improvements in optical reflectivity, thermal conductivity, and lateral electrical conductivity in comparison to earlier grading profiles. The enhancement of these properties is verified by a comparison of thermal resistance and total electrical resistance for lasers of varying size.This work was supported by the United States Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC04-94AL85000

Data pattern dependence of VCSEL far-field distributions

Includes bibliographical references.The far field divergence angle distribution of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers is found to exhibit dependence on the data pattern driving the lasers. Two 50% duty cycle 1.25-Gb/s data patterns chosen to cause the same thermal conditions but with frequency content differing by a factor of 16 resulted in changes in the beam profile distributions with up to a 30% power variation in the central on-axis portion of the beam. Examination of the temporal waveforms as a function of far field angle revealed overshoot in the on-axis power and undershoot in the off-axis portion of the beam